A wide range of families are driving traffic to the Philippines branch of the global educational entertainment brand.
KidZania Manila, based in Bonifacio Global City, Metro Manila, expects to reach cash break-even by the end of 2017 – only its second year of operations.
Cookie Bartolome, president and CEO of Kidzania Manila says the numbers are driven by demand from families. They are particularly impressive given the government’s moratorium on school field trips. The Commission on Higher Education has banned field trips for colleges and universities after a bus accident killed 15 in February.
“It’s been good, quite a lot of challenges but it’s been exciting, exhilarating,” says Bartolome. “We don’t need a rollercoaster to have excitement that we have here in KidZania.”
KidZania is the world’s fastest growing global educational entertainment brand. Its unique concept immerses children from 4-14 in career-oriented role play. “KidZania is a mini city,” explains Eddie Kemsley, CEO of Kidzania UK in an interview with Blooloop. “Kids get to perform all of the jobs that we do in real life, from being a pilot to a courier, to a hairdresser, to an actor, to working in a hotel.”
The Manila branch is bringing in the families of overseas Filipino workers, alongside those from major cities outside Metro Manila. The facility is focusing on activities that allow parents to interact with their children. “The large increase in foot traffic now will come from families, that’s where the repeat visits are going to come from,” says Bartolome.
“The KidZania experience is basically what any family would enjoy during the summer, like a tourist visiting a new city,” she continues. “Families like to come here because they want to bond with their children.”
Bartolome hopes the ban on field trips will soon be lifted. However she is also in talks with school authorities for a “Plan B,” bringing the KidZania experience to schools. “If they can’t come to KidZania, we’ll bring KidZania to them and they’ll get to enjoy it just as much,” she says.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/01/17/kidzania-aims-for-400000-visitors-as-families-drive-traffic
